Tribuntsov And Zaitsev Crack Estonian Marks In A Banner Day 1 For The Baltic State

2025 EUROPEAN SHORT COURSE CHAMPIONSHIPS

• December 2-7, 2025
• Lublin, Poland
• SCM (25 meters)
• Meet Central
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• Live Recaps:
  • Prelims: Day 1
  • Finals: Day 1

Ralf Tribuntsov and Daniel Zaitsev set an Estonian Record each on the first day of racing in Lublin, as Eneli Jefimova came within a whisker of adding a third in the women’s 100 breast.

Tribuntsov kicked off the party, leading off the men’s 4x50m heats relay in a fantastic 20.77. That knocked three-tenths off his own record from less than three weeks ago, and marks the third time he has lowered the standard this fall. He first broke the mark at the World Cup in Carmel clocking 21.23, before lowering that to 21.08 and the Estonian Junior Championships.

The former USC swimmer has been on a tear already this fall with national records in the 50 free, 50 back and 100 back so far. With his time of 20.77 ranking him as the 16th-fastest European in history and faster than the #1 seed for the individual event (Maxime Grousset in 20.78), he may well be a medal favourite later in the meet.

He ranked as the #5 swimmer in the world this season, but dropped to #6 after Jere Hribar’s 20.70 leadoff this evening.

The men’s 4x50m free team would go on to break the Estonian record as they placed 7th in 1:25.08, claiming lane 1 for tonight’s final. Zaitsev was also part of that team, splitting 21.02 on the second leg. They placed 8th this evening in 1:25.09.

MEN’S 50 FLY – SEMIFINALS

• WR: 21.32 – Noe Ponti (SUI), 2024
• WJR: 22.28 – Ilya Kharun (CAN), 2022
• ER: 21.32 – Noe Ponti (SUI), 2024
• EJR: 22.34 – Andrei Minakov (RUS), 2020
• CR: 21.75 – Szebasztian Szabo (HUN), 2021

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Noe Ponti (SUI) – 21.51 *CR*
2. Maxime Grousset (FRA) – 21.95
3. Daniel Zaitsev (EST) – 22.06
4. Szebastian Szabo (HUN) – 22.21
5. Denis-Lauren Popescu (ROU) – 22.26
6. Daniel Gracik (CZE) – 22.36
7. Simone Stefani (ITA) – 22.42
8. Michele Busa (ITA) – 22.56

Zaitsev’s record came in tonight’s 50 fly semi-finals, as he shaved just under a tenth of the 22.15 he swam at the 2022 Melbourne Short Course World Championships. He touched in 22.06 tonight, just a tenth behind Maxime Grousset in his semi-final, claiming the 3rd seed for tomorrow’s final.

He is now the tenth-fastest European swimmer in history, tied with Poland’s Marcin Cieslak.

Top 10 European Men’s SCM 50 Butterfly Performers All-Time

1. Noe Ponti (SUI) – 21.32, 2024
2. Nyls Korstanje (NED) – 21.62, 2024
3. Szebastian Szabo (HUN) – 21.75, 2021
4. Steffen Diebler (GER) – 21.80, 2009
5. Maxime Grousset (FRA) – 21.95, 2025
6. Marius Kusch (GER) – 21.99, 2024
7. Michele Busa (ITA) – 22.01, 2024
8. Matteo Rivolta (ITA) – 22.02, 2021
9. Johannes Dietrich (GER) – 22.07, 2009
10. Marcin Cieslak (POL)/Daniel Zaitsev (EST)

Eneli Jefimova was just off her national record in the women’s 100 breast as she took the top seed in 1:03.28, just off the 1:03.21 she swam at this meet two years ago. She won gold there in Otopeni, and will be hoping to repeat the trick tomorrow.